This invention relates to a telephone switching system using switchboards, and more particularly to an operator-assisted call processing system which is intended to efficiently use main-speech-path switches and switchboard equipments.
In order to provide telephone services that require action by operators, such as person-to-person calls in international telephone service, switchboards must be used in the telephone switching system. With a conventional telephone switching system with provisions for actions by an operator, to connect a calling subscriber to a called subscriber two speech-paths of a main-speech-path switch are fully occupied in spite of the fact that only one speech-path is sufficient for the connection of the two subscribers. This is because of the need for the operator to talk with either of the two subscribers. It is apparent that the use of two speech-paths of a main-speech-path switch throughout the period of one call means an inefficient utilization of the main-speech-path switch, because once the two subscribers are connected, only one speech-path is sufficient for the speech between the two subscribers unless interruption by the operator is required.